Method of and apparatus for tapping water-mains



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. H. BURRITTL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TAPPING WATER MAINS.

No. 473,997 Patented May 3, 1-892.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY H. BURRITT, OF BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TAPPING WATER-MAINS.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,997, dated May 3,1892.

Application filed September 19, 1890- Serial No. 365,486. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARVEY H. BURRITT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Belleville, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of andApparatus for Tapping Tater-Mains; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such asWill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and toletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

In tapping water-mains under pressure it has heretofore been necessaryto use a gatevalve upon the branch pipe to close the opening next to themain until the connectingpipe is laid, this gate-valve forming apermanent part of the construction. After the connecting-pipc is laid,however, the gate-valve is of no use, as the Water system is controlledby other valves, and this waste-gate valve is found to be a constantsource of trouble, as it soon becomes leaky.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved method andmeans for tapping water-mains for branch connections, by which thenecessity of leaving a gate-valve next the main is avoided; and theinvention consistsin the method and construction s'fully set forth inthe following specification, and pointed out in the claims.

A full description of the preferred manner of carrying out my inventionand of a construction embodying the same Wlll now be given,referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecilication, in which- Figure 1 shows a main with the branch pipeconnected ready for tapping. Fig. 2 is a detail of the branch pipe afterthe tapping and plugging operation is completed. Fig. 3 is a detail ofthe plug, and Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section illustrating themethod of tapping.

In said drawings, A is the water-main; D, an ordinary hydrant orfire-plug; E, the pipe supplying the hydrant which is to be connectedwith the main; and F, an ordinary gatevalve on the pipe E. It will beunderstood that the pipe E may be any pipe which is to be connected withthe main and may supply the hydrant D or any other part of the watersystem and may or may not be provided with the gate-valve E, the latterbeing used only for the purpose of controlling the supply to the hydrantor other connected part of the water system and forming no part of theconstruction embodying the present invention.

My improved form of connection between the main A and pipe E consists ofthe straight pipe G, which may be connected to the main in any suitablemanner, and is provided with the branch H, which is adapted to beconnected to the pipe E. The pipe G is provided with a flange G thereon,to which may be secured a gate-valve L of any suitable construction,this gate-valve being provided, preferably, with flanges L and L atopposite ends for securing thereto the flange G of pipe G and a tappingand plugging machine M for tapping the main and plugging the pipe G, aswill presently be described. The branch H is shown as curved outward, soas to extend in a direction parallel with the straight pipe G; but itwill be understood that this branch may extend in any directionrequired.

The straight pipe G may be connected to the main in any suitable manner,as above stated; butl have shown a common construction in whichsectional sleeves B O, clamped about the main,'are employed. The sleeve0 is provided with a hub a, which is provided with an annular groove orrecess 0, and the pipe G is provided with the bead d and held within thehub a by lead or other suitable packing material, filling the groove 0and the space between the pipe and hub and locking the pipe G in placeby the bead d. The pipe E likewise may be connected to the branch H inany suitable manner; but I have shown a construction similar to thatjust described, the branch H being provided with the groove 9 and thepipe E with the bead h, the pipe and branch being held together by alead packing f.

The outer end of the pipe G is adapted to receive a plug, and ispreferably formedwith a groove 6, similar to the grooves o g, and withon opening 1, by which the plug may be keyed to the pipe. Theplugpreferably consists, as

shown in Fig. 8, of a wooden head P, which fits the bore of the pipe Gclosely, and a .reduced portion P of iron, which is packed into theenlarged outer end of the pipe G and is provided with the stem 8, bywhich connection is made with the tapping-spindle P of the machine.

The method of forming the branch connection with the main will now bedescribed. The pipe E being laid and the branch G H connected to themain and to the pipe E and all the parts being as shown in Fig. 1, thegate valve L is connected to the flange G of the pipe G and thetapping-machine M' to the flange 011 the gate-valve. The gate-valve Lbeing opened, the drill and cutter are run in through the pipe G to themain A and operated in the usual manner until the piece is out out andremoved from the main with the cutter. The gate-valve is then closed,the tapping-machine and the cutter-head disconnected from the spindle Pof the tapping-machine, and the plug P connected to the spindle P by thestem s, as shown in Fig. 3. The tapping-machine, with the plug held inplace of the cutter, is then again secured to the flange or thegate-valve and the latter again opened. The plug is then forced to itsseat in the end of the pipe G by the feeding mechanism of thetapping-machine, the wooden head P fitting closely, so that the plugwill withstand the pressure in the pipe until it is packed. Thetapping-machine, together with the gate-valve L, is then finallyremoved, and

the plug Pis permanently packed, preferably, by pouring lead around theplug to fill the groove 6, and the plug may be keyed to the pipe G, iffound necessary, through the openmg 'L.

It will be seen that my invention provides a very simple and convenientconstruction and method of tapping a main, by which the objectionablefeature of a permanent gate valve next to the main is avoided.

What I claim is 1. The improvement in the art of tapping a main underpressure, which consists in connecting to the main a pipe having abranch forming a connection with other pipes and attaching a gate-Valveto said pipe, tapping the main through said gate-valve and pipe, closingthe pipe between the gatevalve and main by a plug, making a tight jointagainst the main-pressure when forced into the pipe, and constructed tobe packed within the pipe, removing the gate-Valve, and packing the plugwithin the pipe, substantially as described.

2. The improvement in the art of tapping a main under pressure, whichconsists in connecting to the main a pipe having a branch forming aconnection with other pipes and attaching a gate-valve to said pipe,tapping the main through said gate-valve and pipe, closing the pipebetween the gate-valve and main by forcing in a plug having a head ofwood or similar elastic material, fitting the pipe closely to form atightjoint and hold the plug against the main-pressure when thegatevalve is removed, removing the gate-valve, and packing the plug,substantially as described.

3. The combination, with main A, of straight valveless pipe G, connectedtherewith and permanently closed at its outer end by a plug constructedto form a tight joint and be held within the pipe against themain-pressure by its own construction and packed within the pipe, and abranch H on said pipe, forming a connection with other pipes,substantially as described.

4. The combination, with main A, of straight valveless pipe G, connectedtherewith and permanently closed at its outer end by a plug having ahead P, of wood or similar elastic material, fitting the pipe closely,and a metallic portion P, packed within the pipe, and a branch H on saidpipe, forming a connection with other pipes, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with main A, of sectional sleeves B C, one of whichis provided with a hub, straight valveless pipe G, packed within saidhub and permanently closed at its outer end by a plug having a head P,of wood or similar elastic material, fitting the pipe closely, and ametallic portion P, packed within the pipe, and a branch H on said pipe,forming a connection with other pipes, substantially as described.

(i. A plug consisting of a head P, of wood or similar elastic material,constructed to fit closely the pipe to be plugged, and areduced metallicportion P, having the stem 3 for attachment to a forcing-tool,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this17th day of September, 1890.

H. H. BURRITT. Witnesses:

OLIVER DRAKE, OSCAR A. MICHEL.

